The short story by "The Lottery," Shirley Jackson, is filled with many ironic instances. Through the whole story, everything is mainly described to give the image that everything that is occurring is just as normal as any small town. In the beginning for instance, the setting is described as a normal, peaceful town. However, it is not until the end of the story that the reader will soon find out that the ritual that occurs every year in this town is anything but normal. The dramatic irony in the lottery stems from the fact that although Jackson gives the reader clues to the tragic end, she does not reveal to the reader the grim nature of the lottery until the very end of the story.
At the beginning of the story, it is stated that it was "clear and sunny, with fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green." (Jackson 284) By describing that it was a warm, beautiful day, Jackson is implying that the setting couldn't be anymore peaceful. Along with the peacefulness, it is also implied that the towns setting is just like any other basic town with a town square surrounded by a bank and a post office. Jackson also implies that everything is centralized in the small central area of the town square. In this small location where everyone comes together, everyone seems to be joyful and happy to be there. The men would get together "surveying their children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes," while the women talked about "bits of gossip" (Jackson 284) as they joined their husbands. As a reader, there are no implications that this normal, peaceful town and practically uphold barbaric traditions.
As Jackson develops the characters in the story, they all seem to be described just like any other person that would live in the earlier times. However, along with the development of the characters, the real truth for the gathering starts to come out.